Sunday, June 01, 2008

June Theme Day - the Corner Shop

The June theme for the worldwide City Daily Photo blogs is "Corner Shops", and although I considered a photo of a shop where they sell corners, I opted instead for the straight story for once.

A lot of London's corner shops sprang up in the seventies and eighties - Asians expelled from Idi Amin's Uganda came over here and many opened shops. By working hard with their families, they made livings out of them. Just like my local corner shop and Mr Jagdesh Patel, who has built this cornucopia, an Aladdin's cave, here since 1981, and now part of the very fabric of the community. But countrywide their existence is threatened by changing shopping habits and the incursion of the mega-supermarkets into their territory. We can't and probably don't want to stop the world turning, but I suspect that we will have lost something when the last of these establishments is steamrollered by progress.

These are called "convenience stores" here in the US. They also have gas stations attached. With "pay at the pump" convenience, alot of times people don't even need to enter the store so the store owners lose business. It does make it nice to just pop in and buy a gallon of milk or whatever is needed!

Interesting post, Ham. I didn't realize that so many immigrants had been expelled from Uganda.

I have to admit that I wanted to see if you posted a shot of my favorite London "corner" shop. . . .It's a little bakery near Scotland Yard. We went there everyday when we were in London a few years ago. . . loved this cinnamon-pecan-twist pastry. By the 3rd day, the guy knew we'd come in to get one, and he saved us large ones. It was such a nice place.

For theme day, I'm showing a bit of my former store (since it fits the bill) if you're interested. . .

Ham I enjoyed your description and your use of the phase "Aladdin's cave".

As I have browsed local shops around the world I have reflected on my own purchasing habits and personally have committed to frequent locally owned shops more often. As you mention they are "part of the very fabric of the community".

Thanks for the interesting story behind the shop. I remember seeing these kinds of shops when I visited London a few years ago. I keep hoping that downtown Knoxville will get a newsstand, but I just don't think it's part of the culture here as it is in bigger cities.

That's great information to add to the photo. There are many motel keepers from south Asia here, as well as convenience store owners. A good independent movie that tells a little about the Ugandan effects is "Mississippi Masala". It's a practically untouched subject in American film.

I must say that I've learned one thing from my London vacation - you have to book your hotel nearby a corner-shop. I don't why, but you always need something and this something is always there :) I'll recommend LMT to add these criteria in the hotel searching method for my next trip-booking to London or other places!